Elevating unit for baby crib



Original Filed Oct. 28, 1957 INVENTOR. $0.1M JI bb .71?

HTTYS' United StatesPatent O p r 2,913,131 1 ELEVATIING UNIT FOR 'BABY CRIB Walter J. McNabb, In, Napa, Calif., assignor of one-third to MervynH. Manasse, Napa, Calif.

Continuation of application Serial No. 692,660, October 23, 19577. This application March 23, 1959, Serial No. 8 1,40

2 Claims. (Cl. 63)

This invention relates to baby CIibSill which the mattress-supporting frame of the crib may be raised from its normally lowered position; the present invention dealing with ,a unit to thus raise themattress frame, and which unit represents an improvement over. what is shown in Patent No. 2,590,337, granted March 25, 1952, to

W. I. McNabband W. J. McNabb,J,r.;-,thisv application being a continuation of application Serial No. 692,660, filed October 28, 1957, and now abandoned.

, The unit in question includes an electric motor to elevate and lower the mattress frame, with limit switches in themotor circuitfunctioning automatically fto open the circuit-and stop the motor whenthe frame reaches either end of its travel.

.In the device of the patent, the limit switches were mounted on the main frame of the crib, while the operating unit itself was mounted onv the mattress frame. This required accurate and relatively expensive installation operations.

Also, the operating mechanism was arranged so that great care had to be taken to insure proper alinement of the partswhen installing the same on the mattress frame; further increasing the cost of installation.

The principal object of the present invention is to.

arrange the operating mechanism, including the limit switches, as a single compact unit, adapted to be readily and quickly mounted on the mattress frame, and all proper positioning of the various parts of the mechanism relative to each other is done at the factory.; By this means, improved simplicity is obtained, and lower installation costs of the mechanism are possible over what was previously the case.

Another object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable elevating unit for a baby crib, and one which will be exceedingly eifective for thepurpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims. a

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side outline of a baby crib equipped with my improved elevating unit.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal elevation of the unit as mounted on the mattress frame, the actual electric wiring and pull cables being omitted.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the crib to which the improved elevating unit is applied comprises a main frame having sidesl and end corner posts 2; the vertically adjustable mattress frame 3 being disposed between the sides 1 and slidably guided in connection with the posts in the manner shown in said Patent No; 2,590,337. 1

The improved elevating unit comprises a flat supporting platform 4 separate from the mattress frame 3 and adapted to extend the full width of the latter. The platform'4 has upstanding end flanges 5 adapted 'to be secured to or removed from the side rails of said frame 3 by the use of bolts-6. a r Q A sectional shaft unit 7 extends between the end flanges 5 a certain distance above and parallel to'platform 4,

and is journaled at its ends in bearings 8 mounted said flanges.

Intermediate its ends the shaft unit extends through, and is operatively connected to, the gearing in the gear box 9 of a reduction gear and motor unit 10 of conventional form; the motor,11' being ofreversible type and extending horizontally at rightv angles to the shaft. .The base 12 of unit 10 is secured to the platform 4 bybolts or cap screws 13, the base. and bolts being electrically insulated from the platform, as indicated at 14. I

, The endmost sections-7a ofthe shaft unit are spaced somewhat from the section of theshaft unitwhich projects through the box.9, and are coupled thereto in drivingand insulated relation by.,dielectric coupling sleeves 15. In this manner there is no danger of any current possibly leaking to the'pl'atform and being transmitted to'the crib itself Ishould's'uch'crib be 'ofmetal constructione Secured on the shaft jsectioiis 7a adjacent the bearings 8 are drums 16, about 'eachof which a cable 17, is reeved to extend thencein opposite directions," as shown inythe aforementioned paten .""Thecable runs from each dram pass under direction-changing pulleys 18 mounted on the mattress frame at its ends and thence upwardly to anchors 19 on the posts 2, in the same manner as was previously done.

The drums are formed with a longitudinal taper, as shown in Fig. 2; this feature having been found to give a better wrapping action of the cable thereon as the mattress frame is lifted by rotation of the shaft unit and drum, than is the case when constant-diameter drums are used.

A bracket 20 having upstanding end flanges 21 is mounted on platform 4 in a plane lengthwise of the shaft unit 7 between one drum 16 and the adjacent coupling 15, and in laterally oflset relation to said shaft unit.

The adjacent shaft section 7a is threaded, as at 22, and mounted on said threads is a nut 23. To prevent rotation of the nut on the shaft section, a finger 24 projects from the nut radially thereof, and adjacent its outer end slides on a rod 25 extending between and secured in the end flanges 21 and disposed parallel to said shaft section.

Supported by the bracket flanges in opposed relation are limit switches 26, -each including a push button 27. These buttons are disposed on opposite sides of the finger 24, in position to be alternately engaged thereby intermediate the ends thereof, as indicated in Fig. 3, upon movement of the finger lengthwise of the shaft section in one direction or the other.

The limit switches are interposed in a circuit arrangement C which is the same as that shown in the previous patent, and which includes a plug-in cord 28 and a motorreversing hand switch 29. The various wires which to gether form the complete circuit are connected in operative relation in a junction box 30 mounted on the platform 4.

The pitch of the threading 22 is so related to the distance between the buttons 27, and to the diameter of the- 3 l a v stead connected at one end to'a hand crank unit of any suitable type, Such as 'ishse'd'in various winches.

From the foregoing descgiption it will be readily seen that therqhas been produced spch a device as will su bstantially fulfill t ebb ats"or tn irfihenttan, asset 'forth her'ei'n. i f t Wh v th at n s or hiinfit l'thef present and preferred' cons'truction of the"dvice,':stfill in' practice sue iations therefrom may" b e' reso'rt'ed' to as do not form"adep'ar'ture from the spirit of the invention,as defined by the appended claims. I

Having 'thus described the invention,thef'following is claimed'as' new and useful, and upon which'Letters Pate'ntaredesired: p r I 5 r g; 11.11; a babys crib which inelndesa 're ctangulaffixed fame, 'a' vertically fnovab'le' rectangular I attress frame maimed withimthef'fix'edfr e,' l'iftfl'cables depending -t'rcbmzatr'ld seeuredj'to thef c'or'riers offthe'ffiii framefand pulleys on'the corners'of the niattr p r s frarn the:cables pass intermediate theireiidsj'an operating unit arranged for connection'with said c'ables to effect the raising and lowering of the mattress frame, "t'l'cli iinit including a supporting plat'forin se'p'arate mattress frame and adapted to be positionedbelow the mattress fframe transversely thereofiiipstanding end tlariges on said platform, means to detachably' secilre "said endfi'an'g'es to -the side rails of the mattress frarne, a. shaft positio r'ie'd above and parallel'jwithit 'f platforfn, he lends of' the shaft being permaneiitlyjoui'fialed in the fend flanges, sable securedon the Shaft adjacent its ends and bout "which t 4 adapted for winding connection with said cables, and means supported by the platform and operable to rotate the shaft.

2. In a baby's crib which includes a rectangular fixed frame, a vertically movable mattress frame mounted therein, lift cables depending from and secured to the corners of the fixed frame,'and pulleys on the corners of the mattress frame about which the cables pass intermediate their ends; a horizontal platform extending transversely of'and below the mattress frame, upstanding end flanges on the platform engaging and secured to the sides of the mattress frame, a transverse shaft above the platform parallel thereto extending between and journaled at its ends in the end flanges, cable drums secured on the shaft adjacent its ends about whichthe cables are wound after passing about' the' pulleys, the shaft being sectional and comprising a central section and end sections, the drums being secured on the end sections, insulation drive couplings connecting the endan'd' central sections in insulatedrelation toeach otherfa motor unitoperatively connected to the central shaft section and including a base secured to the platform, and'insulation means between the base and platform.

References'Ci ted in the file of this patent UNITED: STATES PATENTS 777,215 jIMt'm Dec., 1 3, 1904 2,590,337 McNabbet 1 Mar. 25, 1952 2,592,166 Mc Lean et al. Apr. 8, l952 2,593,590 McNabb et al. Apr. 22, 1952 

